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TDS Guiding Principles Awards

2015

The Talent Development Secondary Recognition Awards recognize TDS staff who best exemplify one of the six TDS Guiding Principles, also known as core values.

Photo Album

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TDS Guiding Principle 1

The Best Decisions are Made Closest to the Situation

The 2015 Closest to Home Award:Shell Nichols, school transformation facilitator, Linden-McKinley STEM Academy, Columbus OhioShell Nichols is an outstanding school transformation facilitator with a proven record of success across schools and school settings. Most recently, she has demonstrated her competence by leading her Diplomas Now site-based team to two consecutive years of gains on Ohio Graduation Test scores at Linden-McKinley. Shell and her team implemented the school transformation model with “high” fidelity, which required tough choices and strong leadership to establish excellence that had to be taught/modeled to her school community before it became a regular part of daily practice. Shell approaches the work by seeking multiple perspectives and honoring all opinions.

The 2015 Closest to Home Award

Shell Nichols, school transformation facilitator, Linden-McKinley STEM Academy, Columbus Ohio

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TDS Guiding Principle 2

Regular reflective practices help align actions with intentions

The 2015 Reflective Practices Award:Diana Gross, ELA instructional facilitatorDiana does a great job of helping teachers, coaches, and her TDS colleagues think through the purpose of our work -- making connections to help our students improve. Her approach engages others and brings them into the reflection and decision-making processes. She does a masterful job of crafting her reflective approach to the situation, and to the experience of the person she is engaging.

The 2015 Reflective Practices Award

Diana Gross, ELA instructional facilitator

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TDS Guiding Principle 3

Collaboration adds value, insight, and promotes growth

The 2015 Collaboration Award: Scott Crumpler, executive director, TDS Miami

Scott has shown unwavering dedication to his schools and his staff over the last five years in Miami. He has adapted to the new executive director role and shown great enthusiasm for new fundraising and sustainability efforts. His positive attitude and persistence act as an incredible motivator for his staff. He exemplifies the TDS guiding principle of collaboration in all aspects of his work, with colleagues, school and district partners and investors. He seeks to find common goals in making all successful.

Shell Nichols, school transformation facilitator, Linden-McKinley STEM Academy, Columbus Ohio

The 2015 Collaboration Award

Scott Crumpler, executive director, TDS Miami

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The 2015 Students First Award

Crystal Lilly, field manager, New YorkTDS Guiding Principle 4

Default to what is best for students

The 2015 Students First Award: Crystal Lilly, field manager, New York

Crystal is always enthusiastic about learning and sharing new information and trying new initiatives with the TDS and DN teams. She works well as a team member and is always willing to provide research-based materials on what works for children to help drive the work that we do.She is an asset with the many talents that she possesses. She adjusts readily to her environment and makes sure we are thinking of how we can impact students more deeply. Through her enthusiasm and dedication to the needs of children, she is often prepared with ideas that the staff can use to support the culture of the school.

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The 2015 Sustained Effort Award

Chris Caesar, school transformation facilitator, Eastside Memorial High School, Austin, Texas

TDS Guiding Principle 5

Sustained effort over time leads to success

The 2015 Sustained Effort Award:Chris Caesar, school transformation facilitator, Eastside Memorial High School Austin, TexasChris Caesar has been working to build relationships and continually negotiating for stronger implementation of the TDS model at Eastside. For the past two years Chris has found creative and effective ways to customize the model for Eastside’ s unique context and slowly but surely get TDS components implemented with increasing degrees of fidelity. He significantly contributed to the early years of TDS’ work in San Antonio by laying a strong foundation. He finds a way to make things work and never gives up!

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The 2015 Professional Growth Award

Cheree Davis, S4 facilitator

TDS Guiding Principle 6

TDS values the development and growth of all staff

The 2015 Professional Growth Award: Cheree Davis, S4 facilitator

Cheree is consistently working to apply new lessons to our work, and is also working toward her graduate degree while working and traveling. Cheree is a skillful, conscientious, dedicated professional who thoroughly understands how students learn and how effective teams operate. She has a wealth of experience with schools, administrators, students, teachers, and families from a variety of cultural backgrounds and educational systems. She is proficient in different multi-sensory, structured, instructional methods and always seeks to maximize student learning effectively and efficiently.

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The 2015 Collaboration Team Award

Detroit TDS Team

With two local and three traveling members, the team communicates almost daily through conference calls, individual calls, emails, Basecamp postings, texts, and even planning breakfasts and/or debriefing dinners. The respect for each other’s expertise in each TDS role is evident, and it is apparent that this team has learned much from one another as they are able to discuss, analyze, plan, proofread, edit, or advise with a solid understanding of each other’s work. They understand the interconnectedness of their positions and complement each other as interdependent parts of the TDS Team whole. They welcome and offer constructive criticism candidly and frequently, in a non-offensive manner. All assume good intentions, and trust each other to carry through on their words and their responsibilities within the team. Last but not least, the team is simply fun to be with. Each person has a great sense of humor, which carries them through some stressful situations. Collaboration is not a “sometimes” thing with the Detroit TDS Team.

The 2015 Collaboration Team Award

Detroit Talent Development Secondary Team

Ken Lerner, S4; Terry Young, local S4; Dot Washington, math facilitator; Nick Stamos, field manager; Ruthie Dines, ELA facilitator; with Charles Hiteshew.

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Kevin Cuffie AwardThis award was created in memory of Kevin Cuffie who served as a field coordinator with Talent Development High Schools, providing technical assistance and training to TDHS school personnel, from the late 1990s until his death in March 2003 at age 47. His expertise was in developing and implementing school-to-work programs, career planning, school-to-college partnerships and postsecondary opportunities programming.

The Kevin Cuffie Extra Mile Award, and a scholarship fund started by his widow and young son, honor Kevin’s work -- and his infectious smile -- as an organizational facilitator in sites around the country and his passion for school improvement, and college access for everyone. The award and a contribution to the scholarship fund is an almost-annual event at TDS.

This year the TDS management team chose to recognize two members of the TDS team who are equally deserving of this honor.

Kevin Cuffie Extra Mile Award

Katrina Hunt, school transformation facilitator, Aki Kurose Middle School, Seattle, WA

Renee Patten, school transformation facilitator, English High School, Boston MA

Renee Patten, school transformation facilitator, English High School, BostonWhen Rene first met TDS, she was not thrilled. Yet another reform practice was launching amid many others that had come and gone at English High School, where she had worked for ten years. When, after two years of TDS, she had the opportunity to lead our work at English, Rene was reluctant. She wasn't sure that TDS was the right partner for her and her students. After several reflective conversations on the theory, the practice, and the strengths and opportunities of TDS, Rene agreed to join our team. We had to ease her out of the classroom, so to speak, because she was nervous about leaving her students with whom she had, and still has, strong relationships.

One of the most daunting tasks ahead was building up Excel and staff PD delivery skills. She is a gifted educator and life-long learner, so this did not take long. Within a couple of months Rene was building and reconfiguring her own tracker (her school can't use our Access-based systems). Her spirit was so contagious she had convinced fellow STFs to meet monthly for "data parties" and submit their monthly and quarterly reports. During her first year as an STF, Rene lived in New Hampshire, more than a 90-minute drive from school. Yet, she was always one of the first staff members to arrive, often before the headmaster. Her grit and perseverance are enviable and a true example to all who work with her, and most importantly, to the many students she has affected so positively. The teachers, students, parents and administrators of English High School are lucky to have Rene on their team!

Katrina Hunt, School Transformation Facilitator, Aki Kurose Middle School, Seattle, Wash.

Katrina has almost single-handedly put TDS on the map in Seattle. She goes the extra mile for both her school and TDS daily. At Aki Kurose, her Principle acknowledges that Katrina is invaluable, and the face of Diplomas Now. For the past four years, she has led the DN team there to results that put it at or near the top of the DN on-track and recovery results. She has been a key member of a school team that has received numerous accolades from the district and the state. She has done all of this without the benefit of regular support from instructional facilitators, an S4, or a local field manager. In fact, in the absence of a field manager or local team, Katrina has become the ambassador for TDS and DN in the Seattle area. Katrina routinely interacts with funders and interested visitors who come to Aki to learn more about the amazing accomplishments there, and has also made critical connections with district leaders, funders, and education leaders from other districts to help cultivate opportunities for TDS to grow beyond its two Seattle schools.

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Design Challenge Winners, 2015During the July 2014 Diplomas Now Summer Institute, the partnership announced its design challenges. Here are the winners of this challenge, focusing on key educational transitions.

Middle SchoolWilson Middle School, Philadelphia, Pa.

Many of our middle schools rose to the challenge and we have learned, and are continuing to learn, about how to support students’ transitions to high school from the ideas our middle schools brought to life over the past year. We were particularly impressed with the work of Wilson Middle School, which focused deliberately on the skills eighth-graders need to be successful in high school. The team developed a 10-week curriculum for eighth-graders, and established “Future Focused Fridays” to work with students and teach them critical skills, such as time management and the high school selection process. The team included contests for the students, such as “Obtain a recommendation from an adult” or “Take a selfie in front of your future high school.” The curriculum culminated in a Skills Fair and a grand prize contest for students.

Throughout the project, the Wilson team documented its work and thought about how to replicate and sustain it so that DN will be able to send this prototype to all of our middle schools for them to try. The plan has paid off, with every eighth-grader going to a choice high school next year. We want to honor Wilson’s work by awarding it the inaugural design challenge award of $3,000 from the PepsiCo Foundation.

Wilson Middle School, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Jacqui Thomas

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High SchoolBurbank High School, San Antonio,

and Newtown High School, New YorkThe PepsiCo Foundation challenge for high schools was probably the toughest competition to date. There were more than six strong entries, and several schools that had detailed plans with measurable results.

Finally, it came down to two high schools that had really done terrific work throughout the challenge. Both plans engaged their students as ambassadors and peer coaches to help other students, helping bring out the best in everyone. Each project had some unique elements—one focused more on creating a college-going school climate and on junior mentors working with freshmen. The other program focused on a 9-12 approach to completing important milestones in the college selection process as well as building the skills students need to be successful in college.

Both schools did an amazing job documenting their plans and their results. In both schools, more students are on track, more students are prepared for college, and the schools are both undoubtedly better off with the design challenge projects in place.

Both schools will receive a $3,000 award as joint winners of the first PepsiCo Foundation High School Design Challenge.

Design Challenge Winners, 2015During the July 2014 Diplomas Now Summer Institute, the partnership announced its design challenges. Here are the winners of this challenge, focusing on key educational transitions.

Newtown High School, New York

Daniel Russell, TDS; Rukhshana Tuli, City Year; Kellie Hinkle, City Year; and Chrissandra Mosby,

Communities In Schools

Burbank High School, San Antonio, Texas

Bianca Rojas with Kellie Hinkle of City Year